About 25 years ago, while my daughters Missy and Jody were out sledding in the first snow of the year, I baked some gingersnap cookies. When the kids came in, the house was filled with the aroma of all the wonderful spices, and there was a special warmth that came from sharing hot chocolate and “Winter Cookies,” as we called them from that day on. Every year since then, it has been a tradition in our house to make these cookies with the season’s first snowfall. They served as a special reminder of home when my daughters were away at college, and even now, though I am retired and living in Florida, I still send a tin of them back to Rhode Island when the forecast is for snow.
Yield:
2-1/2 dozen cookiesIngredients
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 to 3 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3/4 cup softened butter
2 cups sugar
2 well-beaten eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vinegar
Instructions
Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and spices. Stir with a whisk until blended, then set aside. In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, molasses, and vinegar and beat until smooth. Gently beat in the flour mixture just until blended. Form the dough into 3/4-inch balls and bake on a greased cookie sheet for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies become slightly crinkled. Cool on a rack.
